The second-century physician and philosopher Galen is not known for brevity. Although his writings on medicine are famously verbose and numerous, for centuries they constituted much of the standard syllabi for medical students. About fourteen hundred years ago, one or possibly several professors put together a series of epitomes of Galen’s work. In contrast to Galen’s rambling and argumentative style, these epitomes present the material dryly but clearly, offering systematic categorizations of concepts, symptoms, diseases, and organs. Originally written in Greek, The Alexandrian Epitomes of Galen can also be found in Arabic and Hebrew translations, and the epitomes have had a particularly profound influence on medical literature in the Arab world. This new edition presents the Arabic and English versions side by side, with a fresh, modern, and authoritative translation by scholar John Walbridge. Often cited in medical texts in the following centuries, these epitomes present an admirably clear survey of Galenism as it was understood at the very end of antiquity.

Foreword to the Series Preface Introduction The Alexandrian Medical Curriculum The Alexandrian epitomes The Edition and translation Abbreviations and Conventions* * * Preliminary glosses Manuscript table of contents The eight heads A gloss on the art of medicine* * * The Alexandrian Epitome of Galen’s BookOn the Medical sects -The parts of medicine -The sects of medicine -Commentary on chapter 1: The definition of medicine -Commentary on chapter 2: Medical experience -Commentary on chapter 3: The necessary causes; The differences between the Empiricists and the Rationalists -Commentary on chapter 4: The Rationalists’ criticism of the Empiricists -Commentary on chapter 5: The Empiricists’ criticism of the Rationalists -Commentary on chapter 6: The opinions of the Methodists -Commentary on chapter 7: The differences among the sects -Commentary on chapter 8: Galen’s criticism of the Methodists -Commentary on chapter 9: The Empiricists’ criticism of the Methodists -Commentary on chapter 10: The Rationalists’ criticism of the Methodists* * * The Alexandrian Epitome of Galen’s Book Known asThe Small Art of Medicine Introduction: Methods of Instruction Chapter 1: The definition of Medicine Chapter 2: Bodies Chapter 3: Signs Chapter 4: The best states of health Chapter 5: The genera of the organs Chapter 6: The diagnosis of the brain Chapter 7: The moderate temperament of the brain Chapter 8: Immoderate temperament of the brain Chapter 9: The temperament of the eye; The structure of the eye Chapter 10: The temperament of the heart Chapter 11: Compound temperaments of the heart Chapter 12: The temperament of the liver Chapter 13: The temperament of the testicles Chapter 14: The temperament of the entire body—that is, the flesh Chapter 15: Its single temperaments Chapter 16: Its compound temperaments Chapter 17: The temperament of the stomach Chapter 18: The temperament of the lungs Chapter 19: Disorders Chapter 20: Diagnosis of diseased states Chapters 21 and 22: Signs Chapter 23: Causes Chapter 24: The causes of health Chapter 25: The cure of diseases Chapter 26: Classes of organic diseases and their treatments Chapter 27: Dissolution of continuity Chapter 28: Treatment, prophylaxis, and convalescence* * * The Alexandrian Epitome of Galen’s BookOn the Elements According to the Opinion of Hippocrates The eight headings to the epitome of Galen’s On the Elements Chapter 1: The genera of the elements Chapter 2: Their disagreement about the elements; The difference between the element and the principle; The principle of things Chapter 3: Whether the elements sense and suffer; The occurrence of pain; Compounds; The tools of inference; The refutation of the others’ arguments; Their views on the elements; Their disagreements about the temperament; The genera of qualities; The compound by contiguity; Absurdities; A syllogism, premises, and conclusion Chapter 4: That the element is not numerically one Chapter 5: That human bodies do not come to be from a single humor Chapter 6: Hot and cold Chapter 7: The states of bodies; Alteration of quality and quantity; Instruction Chapter 8: Compounds Chapter 9: The qualities; Their disagreement about titles of books on the elements; Their disagreement about the temperament; Two bodies Chapter 10: What is said to be potential Chapter 11: Their disagreement about the humors; The rest of the drugs; The division of the elements Chapters 12 and 13: Their disagreement about drugs Chapter 14: The location of the humors* * * Appendix 1: Greek and Islamicate Physicians Appendix 2: The Three Schools of Medicine Appendix 3: The Structure and Terminology of the Eye in the Epitome of The Small Art Arabic-Greek-English Glossary Bibliography Index English Greek

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